Kushinobo 串の坊 @ Kyoto

After a long day exploring Uji, I came back to my base in Kyoto and decided to have kushikatsu for dinner as I did not have a chance to eat it in Osaka. The last time I had it was also in Kyoto, so I picked one trusted brand that is located in JR Kyoto Station.

Founded in 1950, Kushinobo is a kushikatsu (串カツ) and fry specialty restaurant that started in Osaka, and now has many branches across the country. This is their only outlet in Kyoto, right inside the 11F of JR Kyoto Station. It is located at the far end of a long corridor when you get out of the lift, so I tried not to be distracted by the rest of the yummy restaurants along the way.

Kushikatsu is a Japanese dish of bite-sized meat, seafood, and vegetables put on bamboo sticks, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. “Kushi” means skewer, and “katsu” means a deep-fried cutlet. It is also sometimes referred to as kushiage. It started about 100 years ago as a cheap, fast meal for workers in the Shinsekai area of Osaka.

Unlike tempura, kushikatsu uses a stronger flour mix coated with flaky panko breadcrumbs. This creates a heavier, much crunchier, and rougher exterior, something similar to a Southern deep fry. And everyone loves deep-fried food, so it was really popular among tourists in Osaka. However there are few authentic kushikatsu restaurants outside of Japan, so I often go to one when I am in Kansai.

Kushinobo’s kushikatsu pairs beautifully with any of the available seasonings, and you can enjoy the changing flavours by trying a different seasoning with each bite. The great part is that you can double-dip as each diner has a personal saucer.

Gyū tan (牛タン) Beef tongue

First stick, one of my favourite ingredients from Japan, the gyūtan (beef tongue), served with some chopped pickled yellow onions. The beef tongue was cooked to perfection, still have a slight crunch and the slightly pickled onions cut through the fatty meat.

Shiitake (椎茸) Shiitake mushroom

Plump shiitake mushrooms stuffed with minced shrimp, served with a special tartar sauce featuring a blend of celery, onion, and parsley – this is one of their innovations of “kushikatsu without the dipping sauce”. The harmonious interplay of flavours and temperature made this a very enjoyable stick.

Satsumaimo (サツマイモ) Sweet potato

I was expected a slice of sweet potato, but it turned out to be sweet potato croquette. Yummy!

Awabi (アワビ) Abalone

Renkon (レンコン) Lotus root

The holes of the lotus root, aka renkon (pronounced as lien-gong) in Japanese, had been stuffed with ground beef seasoned with curry. The robust flavour and satisfying crunch of the lotus root, complemented by a rich taste enhanced by spicy aromas made this a really good eat.

Kuruma ebi (車エビ) Tiger prawn

You can eat the whole thing, fully enjoying the ingredient. The natural sweetness of the kuruma-ebi (Japanese tiger prawn), along with the savoury, crisp texture of the head and tail. The doneness of the prawn was perfect, you can see they took special care of the oil temperature when dealing with seafood.

Ginnan (銀杏) Ginkgo nuts

Kaki (牡蠣) Japanese oysters

I already had so much deep fried oysters in Hiroshima, but I had to have one more before I returned to Singapore. Large, plump oyster with its rich, briny flavour sealed within a delicate, crispy batter freshly fried in front of you; that’s something you cannot get from the Washoku kakiyaki.

Asupara (アスパラ) Asparagus

I had table envy when I saw my neighbour ordered the Kushinobo classic, asparagus. It wasn’t my favourite ingredient other than with steaks, but I couldn’t help to order one. They had wrapped a succulent stalk of asparagus in thin slices of pork belly (not streaky bacon mind you) and deep-fry it to perfection.

Ushi hire (牛ヒレ) Beef fillet

The tender, delicate wagyu beef was encased within a crisp coating. The deep frying produced a blissful melt-in-mouth buttery texture of the meat with a crunchy texture of the crust. Must order.

Tebasaki (手羽先) Chicken wing tip

Another table envy order, but perhaps I was already full by then. The chicken wing was deboned and stuffed with more minced chicken and negi (scallions), something like a Thai-style stuffed chicken. I wouldn’t say it wasn’t delicious, but it wasn’t a highlight of the evening.

Usually if you ask for omakase, they would serve around 15 sticks. But with my pigeon appetite these days, I was already quite satisfied when I hit 10, and the 11th was already a stretch. There are set menu available as well if you do not want to navigate the language barrier. Service was bare minimum as the chefs did not speak much English. But it was a really delicious kushikatsu meal, although it would be more expensive that what you get in Osaka. However the quality of the ingredients and perfect cooking techniques compensate for the price difference.

Hatcho Ajidokoro Kushinobo 八丁味處 串の坊
京都府京都市下京区烏丸通塩小路下る東塩小路町901京都駅ビル 11F
Tel : +81 (075) 3658734

Visited Sep 2026

#串の坊 #kushinobo #串カツ #串揚げ